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Some time before Christmas, my copy of the Veseys Seed catalogue arrived in my mailbox from P.E.I. I tucked it away in my “in” file to review this time of year, with the preoccupations of the holidays behind me.

Mid-winter, I remind you, is the best time to sit back, relax, and learn a thing or two about gardening. Seed catalogues — online or in print — are a great way to enhance your skills as a gardener and to try new things.

Here’s a primer on seed ordering for spring 2014:

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Know the terms: Seed catalogue copy writers have a habit of using expressions that are unique to the business, without explaining to the neophyte gardener what they mean. A short list of the most common terms:

a) Open pollinated. A plant producing flowers that can be fertilized by other varieties of the same species are “open pollinated” by wind, insects, birds or other natural methods. For this reason it is a good idea to keep open-pollinated vegetables away from other plants in the same family. Two varieties of open-pollinated cucumbers, for instance, can produce some weird looking cukes!

b) Heritage (or heirloom). A flowering plant or vegetable that has been in cultivation for over 100 years is considered to be a heritage variety. Many gardeners seek out the old heirloom or heritage varieties in an effort to preserve the taste and table-readiness that many of them are famous for.

c) Organic. Seeds that have been produced using non-chemical methods, according to the rules of the federal Canadian Organic Regime, are “organic” seeds. This is important for gardeners who want their plants free of chemicals, from the seed production phase on down. It also means that the seed has not been coated with a pesticide to prevent rot and other disease. . This is important to know if you are sowing your peas in cold, wet soil that predisposes them to rotting before they root.

d) Coated or pelleted seed. Seed coated with clay to make handling easier. I buy all of my carrot seeds “coated.” It prevents foraging by birds after I have sown them, the coating protects the seed from disease, it eliminates the need to thin the seedlings , and it absorbs moisture from the soil and holds it until germination. For shallow-sown, small seeds like carrots, this makes a huge difference to the percentage of seed that germinates and the number of carrots that I successfully grow per square foot.

e) Hybrid. A plant whose parents are from two genetically distinct individuals. Generally, a hybrid is a variety that has been manipulated by humans. A non-hybrid is a variety of plant whose lineage cannot necessarily be traced. Seeds from a non-hybrid generally mature true to the parent plant, while hybrids are a lost cause in this regard.

Armed with this basic information, you can confidently wade into the world of seed catalogues. Don’t be overwhelmed by the breadth of offerings — the 2014 edition of the Veseys catalogue is 185 pages — and there are bigger versions. Leaf through it a few times before you commit to ordering.

I grow about an acre of vegetables each year, all from seed. Some seeds I start in my greenhouse several weeks before planting and others I plant directly in the ground. The exercise of ordering seeds refreshes my mind each year about the cultivation and care of each variety. It also provides a great introduction to new varieties.

I recommend that you look over more than just one seed catalogue and check out the seed racks at your favourite garden retailer. The fresh seed for this season has been arriving over the last few of weeks. I have noticed that many unusual vegetables, herbs and flowers are now available where they were hard to find in prior years.

Hort Societies

Which brings me nicely to this: there is no better time for you to join a horticultural club. As we wait out the winter in anticipation of a great gardening season ahead, the frequent gatherings of like-minded gardeners helps to keep the dream alive.

Gardeners are, by their very nature, generous and friendly. You will find a fountain of free information and camaraderie wherever they meet. If you live in Ontario and are unsure just how to connect with the hort clubs in your neighbourhood, visit the Ontario Horticultural Association’s website where you will find lists of hort societies organized alphabetically, geographically and by district. Alternatively, the most thoroughly researched handbook of its kind is The Toronto Gardener’s Journal & Source Book by Margaret Bennet-Alder. Websites, contact names and phone numbers for virtually every hort club and specialty garden group is listed there.

Next week: My favourite veggie seed varieties. You’ll want to have it on hand when buying seeds for this year’s food garden.

Canada Blooms highlight — morning tours: Peruse the gardens at a leisurely pace, at 8:15 a.m., before the doors open. Tour leaders have all the insider info on the garden designs, features, materials used and secrets that are only revealed on the tours. It is a great way to experience Canada Blooms. Dates: Friday, March 14; Saturday, March 15; Wednesday, March 19; Thursday, March 20; Friday, March 21; and Saturday, March 22.

Mark Cullen is an expert gardener, author, broadcaster and garden editor of Reno and Decor magazine. Get his free monthly newsletter at markcullen.com, and watch him on CTV Canada AM every Wednesday at 8:45 a.m. Follow him on Twitter @MarkCullen4 and Facebook.

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